Access to safe
drinking-water is essential to health, a basic human right and a component of
effective policy for health protection. The importance of water, sanitation and
hygiene for health and development has been reflected in the outcomes of a
series of international policy forums. It is important as a health and
development issue at a national, regional and local level. In the Philippines,
92% has access to clean water from 2011-2015 according to WHO/UNICEF Joint
Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water. In some regions, it has been shown that
investments in water supply and sanitation can yield a net economic benefit,
since the reductions in adverse health effects and health care costs outweigh
the costs of undertaking the interventions. This is true for major water supply
infrastructure investments through to water treatment in the home. Experience
has also shown that interventions in improving access to safe water favor the
poor in particular, whether in rural or urban areas, and can be an effective
part of poverty alleviation strategies.
In Barangay
Venus, Municipality of Sergio, Osmeña, Sr., access to clean and potable water
is a problem people face each day. Various factors contribute to this such as
lack of knowledge on the water purification methods; poor water purification
practices; unclean water source from point source and water tank reservoirs;
and poor maintenance of water tank reservoirs.
The main aim of
the comprehensive health plan is to provide safe drinking water to all the
community residents. With this, the team is empowering the adult population of
the barangay to be knowledgeable about the risks involved in having poor water
sanitation and help them be aware of the importance and benefits of keeping the
water sources of their community clean as well as equipping them with skills on
the different water purification techniques. And later on improve their water
purification practices.
To promote self-reliance in the
community, officials who are responsible for the Barangay water supply were
assigned on the monitoring of the water potability status. A core group called
Water Safety Monitoring Team was formed to assure the cleanliness of the 3
tanks supplying water to the Barangay. Written guidelines about the duties and
responsibilities of the core group were made in collaboration with the Barangay
officials and other key personnel in the community. Lectures on proper water
purification and effects of drinking unsafe or untested water were conducted to
the community people. Introduction of the Solar Disinfection (SODIS), boiling
and chlorination as water purification techniques was given to the community
people. The team launch an information and education campaign called W.T.R. or Water Treatment. This WTR was composed with series of lectures on different water purification techniques, distribution of fliers to every households, posting of posters on strategic places, procurement of hypochlorite solutions and chlorine granules that were distributed to community residents and construction of readily functional solar disinfection stations. The creation of “SODIS Station” was discussed with the community people and officials and this projects aimed to provide each “purok” with a place to practice Solar Disinfection as a water purification method of their choice. The choice of water purification technique of each household will depend on their interest and suitable to them. The team, together with the Barangay Water Safety Monitoring team also conducted an “Oplan Linis Tangke” Day. Water tank reservoirs were cleaned and chlorinated to ensure delivery of safe drinking water to the residents. A Barangay ordinance establishing the Venus W.T.R. (Water Treatment Regime) Program was passed to ensure sustainability of delivery of safe drinking water to the community residents. This ordinance contains annual lecture on different water purification techniques, monitoring of the practices of community residents, bi-annual water tank reservoirs cleaning and chlorination and submission of water samples for water analysis.
With the
continuous efforts and cooperation of the people involved in the project,
target of increasing the household practicing water purification techniques
reached 100% already.
